Create opportunities for career success. Start with strengths that come to you naturally and easily, then learn skills that compliment your strengths, and build character to create opportunities for career success. As you learn more about yourself you will find skills you want to master and opportunities that fit your values. Are you more of an intuitive communicator who creates from your heart or an analytical innovator who designs from your head?

Valuing your strengths - the natural abilities you were born with - will drive you to develop skills you want to use for your business or job. Your skills are demonstrated in your product, analysis, data, and abilities but your heart will draw your audience to interact with you.Your career success starts with you. Are you writing your business plan, setting up your portfolio, or looking for a job? You need to be able to clearly express your strengths. You know you are working in your strengths when time goes by so quickly you don't know what happened. You are in the zone. The neurons in your brain are firing and your face lights up when you talk about what you are doing. Not sure about your strengths?

Try this:Talk to a friend about something you did or are working on that you really enjoy doing. Notice your friend's expression. Are they listening and interested in what you are saying? Ask your friend if you look enthusiastic or passionate about what you are describing. If your friend doesn't appear really interested in your project, you may need to rethink your project or find your passion in doing it. You might even network and find someone with a similar interest to stir up your passion.

When you write about your strengths on social media, do people respond? Your LinkedIn profile should include your strengths, values, and something your are passionate about. Social media is a tool to reach a wider audience and monitor the reaction to your work. When you share your product or service with a customer, prospective partner, or employer you will need to show your excitement to generate their enthusiasm. Value yourself and your work. Start sharing today!

Want to know more about how to show your strengths, skills and character?

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Evaluate your Motivated Skills (a free assessment well worth your time):Motivated Skills Matrix, Richard L. Knowdell, online, http://www.stewartcoopercoon.com/jobsearch/motivated-skills/, 4-26-14. You will find power words and definitions as well as a matrix that shows your motivated skills in the top 2 squares at the left of the matrix.